Kid-tested toys: Age 6 and up

Just as every child is different, so too are the toys they enjoy. While one child might be revved up about James Bond, another might be excited about Batman and rockets, crafts, puzzles and sports. To help narrow the search, we enlisted the help of experts: Kids. Check out our list of hot new toys -- either tested or suggested -- for someone on your list. Prices on toys may vary.

Dub Garage Beat Makerz ($13.99, 6-up) from Child’s Play is a muscle car in which the driver is the DJ, creating music via a sound board on the car. Cameron, 9, liked its lights and sounds and that it did not need batteries. Though, he would add a remote control, words to the songs, doors that open and speakers in the trunks. This would make it cool and a collectible.

Blingles Bling Studio ($19.99, 6-up) from Moose has everything you need to “bling,” sparkle and shine up your accessories (www.myblings.com). Nikki and Dayna liked the different colored gems but said there should be more of them so kids can use it all the time. The gems have to be pushed down hard for them to come off the glue sheet, so they felt this needed to be easier for the age group recommended. Otherwise, very cool toy.

Furby ($59.99, 6-up) from Hasbro is back with a vengeance. Olivia, 10, said it is very soft and cute and the noises it makes are funny. She would like one for Christmas as it was fun, but Furby talks a lot and could use an on/off switch.

Advertisement

Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze Pack ($26.99, 6-up) from Kmart features two cool ghouls as in Ghoulia Yelps, daughter of The Zombies cool and Abbey Bominable, daughter of The Yeti.

Aqua Belle ($19.99, 6-up) from Smart Games is a multilevel logic game that provides players with 48 challenges on four different levels. Savannah, 9, enjoyed the challenge and, yes, Santa can bring it for Christmas.

Caroline Abbott ($105, 6-up) is the newest addition to the American Girl collection. Caroline’s biggest dream is to one day captain her own ship -- just like her father. But when the War of 1812 strikes her peaceful lakeside village and her beloved papa is taken prisoner, she must use her mind and heart to navigate the right course. Award winner!

Speedeebee ($14.99, 6-adult) from Blue Orange Games is perfect for family games night. It’s fun for all ages and it only takes 20 minutes to complete a game. Peter, 9, said it was easy to play and a fun way to practice his spelling and reading skills. Michael, 11, tried Blue Orange’s Chef Cuckoo ($14.99, 7-15) and said he would add it to his wish list for Santa. Also a big hit among card games for this age group is Spot It ($13.99, 7-up).

Bratz Boutique Doll: Yasmin Chic & Co. ($26.99, 6-up) from MGA Entertainment could be considered a green toy as the package is recyclable. In fact, you need to keep it because it becomes the boutique for your Bratz. Also included in the playset is one doll (Yasmin), a scanner and a whole lot of accessories.

IQ Fit ($9.99, 6-99) from Smart Games is a multilevel logic game for people on the go. Players are challenged by a puzzle that they create using the colored pieces. Game is big enough to include 24 challenges but small enough to fit in a purse. Ahmad, 12, said he had not played with anything similar and liked that it was an IQ game. He played it over and over, many times, and said yes he would want this toy for Christmas.

Micro Chargers Time Track ($34.99, 6-up) from Moose is a micro-racing set featuring a four-lane launcher and two vehicles you charge and go. Jacob, 6, liked how tiny the cars were and that they moved so fast. “The cars zoomed around like my Hex Bugs (tiny robotic creatures that look like bugs),” Jacob said. He would definitely like one for Christmas, along with two more cars, as the set has four launch slots.

Novi Stars: Mae Tallick ($19.99, 6-up) from MGA Entertainment have arrived on earth. Daniela, 8, heard all about the galactic dolls and was excited to see them. She liked that it was personalized but overall was disappointed. It was difficult to put the doll’s feet in the stand, and its hair kept falling off.

The Original Bananagrams ($14.99, 7-107) is a fast and fun anagram game. Great for families on the go as it requires no pencil, paper or board.

Temple Trap ($14.99, 7-up) from Smart Games is a puzzle-building game that challenges players to escape from the cursed labyrinth. Lisa, 9, said it was hard but she kind of liked it. Santa needs to improve on the directions to make it easier to understand.

Bendit ($14.99, 7-99) from Smart Games is a multilevel logic game. You choose the challenge and figure out how to bend the pieces to meet your match. Michael, 10, liked bending the pieces into shapes and into the right colors, but would have enjoyed a bigger set. For him, there wasn’t enough to do.

Beyblade Metal Fury Destroyer Dome set ($39.99, 8-up) features everything a new player might need to battle including an arena and two exclusive tops. Evan, 8, has played with a similar version he likes better: Beyblade Metal Fusion. This one required some help putting it together and the holes in the top were not big enough to be consistent. “If you get a good rip, it spins up and around the sides (and) it is fun to watch it.” With his older version, the tops work every time and it has a travel case, so he can store the set on a shelf or under his bed.